Lev Lafayette's journal

My major news for the week is that I've apparently become a teacher, of intermediate and advanced English, at the University of Rojava. The pre-dawn orientation meeting via video-conference was quite enlightening, but the difficulties the students face in war-torn Syria are also as expected. It was also interesting to meet the other teachers of course, largely a group interested in politics, international relations, human rights law, etc. Given that Rojava is the closest thing that the world has to an anarchist government (no, that is not a contradiction in terms), if I was younger I would certainly prefer to be there on the front-line with these comrades. This is the least I can do under the circumstances.

Another modest action has been preparations for Bramble Cay Melomys Day, where Guardian cartoonist has, once again, given us a wonderful reminder for the day (and decent media coverage, a resource that I lack). I'll be hosting a small memorial picnic in the Carlton Gardens this Saturday. I hope a few other souls will come along to remember this species, the first mammal extinct due to climate change. I rather fear that there will be more.

Preparations for my new apartment continue. I have paid the deposit, I have the unconditional approval for a home loan, and I've argued with the banks and brokers trying to assure them that my living expenses really are as low as I say they are. Apparently, I live in this alternative reality where it is incredulous that I have minimal transport costs (I cycle everywhere), no modern consumer electronics, no streaming services, and a big night out is a once-a-week visit to the local pizza bar with a glass of wine. I do have something close to five thousand books, however. "You talk like a millionaire, but you shop at Aldi", a friend remarked recently. Maybe the two things are related.